I've reviewed a fair number of fishing titles since I started this column, and the idea of a no-nonsense arcade fishing game really appealed to me. Plus, Fishing Break is available on Nintendo Switch, a platform that could definitely work for this.
Unfortunately, Fishing Break isn't the title I was hoping for, but it represents a move towards what could be a really interesting gaming space.
Conspiracy, oh!
Fishing Break has no plot, and that's by design. This is a game where players catch fish, and that's it. We're not talking about a title that requires you to hunt for the perfect bait or work to earn skill points until you make that elegant cast. Fishing Break features a cartoon character casting a line into the water from the back of a raft.
Revision Notes
The first thing you really need to know about Fishing Break is that it's a port of an existing mobile game, and that's probably where its problems begin. I'm certainly not saying that there can never be a good Switch port of a mobile game, but the mark of a good port is that the title has been reconfigured to work on the new platform. While Fishing Break has done the bare minimum to earn the title a port, the controls are mediocre and feel incredibly tacky to the experience. Good luck figuring out how things work, as almost everything is tied to a mouse/click mechanic. Very little is tied to buttons or the D-pad, which is odd given that one of the Switch's strengths is the physicality of the controls.
Fishing Break features simple gameplay where you catch fish for money. Sometimes you get the chance to complete missions that ask you to catch a certain number of fish or rare fish that only appear when certain conditions are met. If you complete a certain number of these quests, you unlock islands. The main feature of these islands is that the water changes color and you get different fish.
Fishing Break never changes, though, and that’s the problem. Mobile games are designed to be played in spurts, whenever you have a minute or two of free time, so repetitive gameplay isn’t just annoying, it’s actually a benefit. You don’t have to relearn new controls every time you open the game on your phone or tablet. Playing on the Switch, however, usually involves a larger time investment, so sticking to the same action ad nauseam quickly becomes tedious. It’s another reason why creating a good port requires art and finesse, and Fishing Break lacks both.
Visually, Fishing Break is cute. It's not realistic, so it won't be mistaken for a “serious simulation.” However, its graphics have a certain charm, with the exception of the greenish water that seems polluted in these areas. The sound design is decent, but again, the game's real problems lie in the gameplay. Sometimes you won't catch the fish you should, namely those that are significantly lower than you for no apparent reason, and you'll definitely be stuck scrolling and clicking.
Full summary
Fishing Break feels like a port that's far too faithful to its roots for the Switch platform, with weird controls and incredibly grindy gameplay. However, Fishing Break offers adorable graphics and a reasonable price of $7.99.
Wandering thoughts behind the keyboard
- Fish are hilarious; swordfish are about three times the size of sunfish. Molas are one of the largest bony fish in the world, but not according to Fishing Break.
- The bait is not reusable, so one bait per cast quickly becomes expensive.
- Often the best way to catch fish in Fishing Break is to lure them into jumping on your raft. Y'all, that's not how it works. Not at all.
